The Most Unloved 2021 Honda Models Still Make Their Owners Happy

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Consumer Reports gives ratings based on several important factors. Of these, predicted owner satisfaction receives a rating that, on the low end, is 1/5 and the most satisfying models have a 5/5 score. This is a list of 2021 Honda models with the lowest satisfaction scores. 

Honda HR-V | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

Overall, even the Hondas with the lowest satisfaction ratings still seem to make their owners pretty happy. In fact, even the least satisfying 2021 Honda model shows data that 55 percent of owners would buy another one given the chance. While this isn’t a huge percentage, it’s still more than half and that’s saying something. 

What 2021 Honda model do people regret buying?

The 2021 Honda HR-V is the least satisfying 2021 Honda model according to Consumer Reports. So that means the lowest number of owners would rebuy it when it’s time for a new car. Plus, it’s predicted owner satisfaction rating is a low 2/5. What it is about the 2021 Honda HR-V that owners aren’t happy with? 

According to Consumer Reports, the 2021 Honda HR-V has its strengths. It’s a slot down from the more expensive CR-V crossover and Consumer Reports praises its interior versatility, ability to tote cargo, and 29 mpg average. It also received a score of 5/5 for predicted reliability. 

Still, it’s loud and uncomfortable, especially on longer drives. Plus, its powertrain will leave most drivers wanting more. The 2021 Honda HR-V scored only 2/5 for predicted owner satisfaction. On top of that, only 55 percent of owners said they’d buy another one given the opportunity. 

Most of the least satisfying 2021 Honda models are still pretty satisfying

Honda Insight Hybrid on display
Honda Insight Hybrid | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

The rest of what Consumer Reports data says are the “least” satisfying really don’t score all that low. Honda’s 2021 Honda Insight is actually named the No. 1 compact car by Consumer Reports. However, it only scored 3/5 for predicted owner satisfaction. 

The lowest 2021 Honda Insight rating from the consumer survey is 60/100 for comfort. That said, it also features an overall average of 54 mpg.  According to CR, that’s 2 mpg better than the Toyota Prius. The least satisfying Honda SUVs are also popular models that are generally crowd-pleasing as well. High scores like the Insight’s 5/5 predicted reliability rating offset the lower consumer satisfaction ratings.  

Are owners happy with their Honda SUVs?

honda pilot driving through dirt
2021 Honda Pilot | Honda

Popular Honda SUVs, the 2021 Honda Pilot, and the 2021 Honda CR-V both received a 3/5 for predicted owner satisfaction. The 2021 Honda Passport also scored 3/5. That said, the Consumer Reports survey shows that the 2021 Honda CR-V is a recommended crossover. However, it scores only 54/100 in terms of owners feeling the full package is worth the money spent. 69 percent of 2021 Honda CR-V owners say they would buy another one. 

2021 Honda CR-V Touring
2021 Honda CR-V Touring

The 2021 Honda Pilot is the larger, three-row SUV in Honda’s lineup. This SUV has one of the best Consumer Reports road test scores of 80/100. Most owners felt that they paid for more than what they got, and the 2021 Honda Pilot ended up with a 48/100 value rating. 62 percent of owners would opt to repeat this buy. 

The 2021 Honda Passport slots between the other two Honda SUVs. This one suffers from a low 2/5 predicted reliability rating. However, 69 percent of owners say they’d get another Passport. The lowest satisfaction survey score is 49/100 for overall value. 

a white honda passport crossover SUV with black wheel on display at an auto show
Honda Passport | Raymond Boyd/Getty Images

The 2021 Honda Odyssey has a 3/5 predicted owner satisfaction rating too

Silver 2021 Honda Odyssey driving down the highway.
2021 Honda Odyssey | Honda

An unexpected fan favorite, the 2021 Honda Odyssey minivan brings all of the minivan amenities to the table. It also scored the second-highest road test rating in Honda’s lineup: 85/100. The only Honda that beat the 2021 Honda Odyssey for the highest road test core is the 2021 Honda Odyssey.  

But the 2021 Honda Odyssey also struggles with a low 2/5 rating for predicted reliability. The consumer survey results tell us that people mostly love everything about the 2021 Honda Odyssey. But it scored just 38/100 for value. Still, 70 percent of Odyssey owners say they would buy another. 

So it’s pretty clear to see that even the lowest-scored 2021 HR-V has plenty of redeemable qualities. Overall, the least satisfying 2021 Honda models may have the lowest consumer satisfaction scores. But they are also satisfying their owners on a number of levels, besides missing the mark of near-perfect.

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1 Accident Caused by a Messy Car Will Make You Think Twice About Throwing a Coffee Cup on the Floor

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Sometimes it can be a little too easy to let clutter pile up in the car. A burger wrapper here, a tissue there. It seems harmless enough if a bit messy. However, letting trash accumulate in your vehicle isn’t just unsightly. It can also be an issue of car safety. Just ask the woman whose mound of debris caused her to land on a very embarrassing list due to an interesting accident. 

One of the strangest car accidents ever

The gas and brake pedals in a Toyota vehicle | Sandy Huffaker/Corbis via Getty Images

A Yarmouth, Massachusetts resident drew a lot of attention to herself back in 2007 when the clutter in her Ford Focus led to a bizarre wreck. Her car accident was so out of the ordinary, in fact, that she landed on 1-800 Injured‘s list of the 10 strangest car accidents of all time. 

It all began in a post office parking lot. As Waste 360 reports, Ann Biglan attempted to back out of her space when some trash interfered. However, keep in mind, this was not your ordinary car trash. Police reported that “the entire interior of the vehicle was filled with all sorts of trash and rubbish, which covered the complete interior of the vehicle from floor to ceiling, front and back.” In fact, Police would later discover that her house also showed evidence of hoarding.)

So, as Biglan was backing up, a piece of debris from the pile got lodged on the accelerator, causing her to continue in reverse at a high rate of speed. She backed over a curb and crossed busy Route 28 before crashing into a light pole and knocking it over.

Biglan wasn’t done there, however. After failing to regain control, she once more crossed Route 28 and collided with a Ford Explorer.  Continuing on her disastrous path, she drove over a sidewalk and ended her wreck against a giant gas station flower pot.

Keeping your vehicle organized is one key to avoiding car accidents

It’s unlikely that your car is in quite the condition that Biglan’s was. Nevertheless, your trash doesn’t need to be in such a drastic state to get under your feet or otherwise cause an accident while you’re driving. For that reason, it’s important to keep your car’s interior clean and organized. 

There are several simple steps you can take to keep your interior in a condition you can be proud of. First and foremost is to develop the simple habit of removing any litter from your vehicle every time you get home. This is particularly easy to do if you have a dedicated car waste bin. 

A car gap filler can also prevent items from falling out of reach and into crevices, only to reappear later under your feet. There are also backseat and trunk organizers that you can use to make sure that the items you regularly have with you stay in place. 

To cut down on clutter even more, make sure to avoid using disposable cups whenever possible. It’s a lot neater and simpler to have a reusable cup handy and stored in a dedicated cup holder to prevent spills. 

A clean vehicle exterior is also important

Of course, with all this focus on trash, we can’t forget our car’s exterior as well. Maintaining visibility is another significant factor in preventing car accidents.

One key to maintaining visibility is, of course, to make sure to keep your windshield regularly cleaned. A dirty windshield can make it difficult to see clearly in all directions and amplify already troublesome issues when faced with glare. 

It’s also essential to keep your car free of fallen leaves. Although they may seem harmless enough, they can get caught under your car’s wipers if they accumulate. Worse, they could clog air intakes and drain holes. Any of these situations could potentially end up causing an accident, should visibility or mechanical issues result. 

So, while it may seem a pain to attack dirt and litter regularly, the alternative is much less pleasant. Avoiding a messy car is one way to staying off the naughty list of the police and your insurance company. 

RELATED: How to Decide Which Type of Vacuum Cleaner You Need

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This Overland Camper Is Clearly Apocalypse Ready

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Building your own overland camper is something of a trend now. I like to sit around on Craigslist and browse about for cars I can’t afford. Recently, I’ve seen quite a few overland-inspired vans and campers up for sale. People are looking for a way out of major metropolitan areas right now, as they have been for the last year. With COVID cases on the rise yet again, people want to get away and enjoy travel while they can. Evidently, some have taken that logic a lot further than anticipated.

“Modified” is something of an understatement

$300,000 is a lot of money for a lot of camper | Barry Miller

The listing is titled as “New Custom Overland/Expedition 4X4”, but I think it’s a little bit more than that. This overland camper, if you can even call this Unimog-esque monster that, started life as a box truck. More specifically, it started as a 2018 Isuzu NPR box truck. Since then, the exterior has been, erm, let’s say extensively modified. Let’s start with the obvious. New wheels and a set of knobbly off-road tires were fitted, as well as what I can only assume is the largest lift fitted to an Isuzu, and the most expensive. The air suspension was purportedly $90,000.

Then there’s the bull bar, fitted with some presumably hyper-bright trail lights. Please only use these on the trail, I’m going blind out here on the highway. Evidently, the lights are a bit of a theme, as there’s more up top. I suppose the lights are needed. According to the seller, this overland camper was designed to be able to take a previous owner from Panama to wherever his wealthy self pleased to go.

The inside is a prepper’s dream

The interior of the modified Isuzu overland camper featuring several beds and safes
I’d like to apologize for the image quality | Barry Miller

And that’s just the highlights reel for the outside. The inside is a whole other story. For starters, the overland camper will sleep just about as many as you need, with hammock hooks and beds aplenty. More specifically, it’ll sleep six. And those six people will sleep under more security than the President. Yes, this thing has a security system. There’s a $9,000 camera system that can be controlled via your smartphone, which can also be used via the dashboard screens.

Of course, you’ll have to feed your loved ones during the apocalypse, so a kitchen has been thoughtfully included, complete with giant counters, garbage storage, a stove, and an oven. Of course, there’s absolutely a shower, fed by a 27-gallon water tank for long, luxurious showers. That’s not all the water you’ll have access to either, with two custom tanks holding a total of 148 gallons. Frankly, there’s just too much to list here, so go check out either this YouTube video or the listing.

How much does an overland camper cost?

A sign showing full campgrounds in the wake of Yellowstone's re-opening
Personally, the Isuzu looks better than that thing | George Frey via Getty Images

Admittedly, I’ve buried the lede here. I’m sure you’re dying to know what this custom off-road bunker costs, gun safes and all. It’ll be $349,000. That’s obviously the no-expense-spared approach, but building an overland camper can be done for a lot less than that. To be on the safe side, expect to pay less than $50,000 for a solid rig. Regardless, this overlander is the end all be all of campers, and I love it for that.

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Van Life Gets a Little More Low-Key With the Peugeot Rifter

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Personally, I’m one of those weirdos that likes to be inconvenienced when camping. The van life is, in most cases, the antithesis of that logic. Vans are all about bringing all you can. However, I like sleeping in a tent, cooking over an open fire, and taking as little “fluff” as possible when I get outside. Heck, I camp in a sports car, the automotive equivalent of bringing a camping knife to a camping gunfight. However, this little Peugeot Rifter simplifies the van life, I love it, and so should you.

Less is more in the Peugeot Rifter

The Rifter van with cot | Peugeot

I apologize for the lack of reference, but the Peugeot Rifter may just be the most compact van life option on the market right now. Just looking at it, you can tell it’s tiny. The vehicle fits its entire self into a box only 173x72x73 inches big. Now, I understand some may view this as a problem. Maybe you have a family, a couple kids, a dog, whatever. Sure, the Rifter probably isn’t for you.

And I’m deeply sorry for that, because the Rifter is, on the surface, just right. It’s the Goldilocks of van life. The vehicle’s size and usability are excellent for people like me. Younger people with no kids, or maybe just a dog. That’s clearly who the French marque is targeting here. Their press materials and photos are full of more young, smiling people than a beer advertisement.

You don’t need much to enjoy the van life

The Rifter's tent lets you live the van life, seen here attached to the side of the van
Tenting in a Peugeot | Peugeot

It’s that minimalism that helps market the Rifter to that market. Peugeot partnered with Japanese firm RV Land Concept to design a small cot for the rear of the Rifter. All you have to do is fold the seats flat and pull out the cot. Honestly, that’s about all you need to spend a night out in the woods. Sure, there’s other requisite camping gear, like bug spray, bear bags (especially here in Colorado), and a good book. But that’s it. However, should you desire more, you can have it.

Peugeot will offer a tent to accompany the Rifter on your van life adventures, and it can serve as anything from a “second bedroom” to a shaded sitting area. Really, in all honesty, that’s why the Rifter is so appealing. We take so much stuff with us through our day, and camping should be about getting away from that. The minimalism of the small cot and tent speaks to that in the Rifter.

Yet more forbidden fruit for America

A new Rifter van on display at an auto show
A stock Rifter | Robert Hradil via Getty Images

I’ve neglected to mention something, in the hopes of getting you all excited. The Rifter is more automotive forbidden fruit. You can get a Rifter in Japan and Europe, but not here. Just like the Nissan GTR of yesteryear, you’ll have to wait a bit to bring in this kind of small van. Thankfully, there’s some other small van options, like the Mercedes Metris. You’ll have to convert those for camping yourself, unlike the Rifter, but it’s at least a start on your journey to minimalist camping happiness.

RELATED: The Most Fun Cars to Mount a Roof Tent On

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